A new tactile corner has been opened at the Kyrgyz National Museum of Fine Arts named after Gapar Aitiev. The exhibition features 14 objects, including paintings, sculptures, and decorative-applied art products.
The created tactile corner allows visitors not only to see but also to feel art by touch. This project aims to integrate people with visual impairments into cultural and social life.
The idea of "Creating an inclusive museum space for the visually impaired and blind through tactile sculptures" was initiated in 2023 and initially included six tactile copies of sculptures. In 2025, the collection was supplemented with new tactile works, such as "Help to the Front" and "Collective Farm Girl" by Olga Manuilova.
"Modern society does not always take into account the needs of all people, and our task is to ensure accessibility. We started with tactile sculptures and then added felt products, ala kiyiz, and shyrdaks. For example, a tactile copy of Gapar Aitiev's painting 'Cotton Harvesting' was created by artist Zalkar Esenkhanov," shared the museum director Aigul Mambetkazieva.
For all interested, museum staff organized a tour of the tactile space. Visitors eager to immerse themselves deeper into art could use special masks to close their eyes and feel the works with their hands.
One of the visitors, the blind Zemfira Nurbaeva, noted that art has now become more accessible. "I was able to feel the painting and understand what it depicted. The Braille next to the works was very helpful. What I couldn't touch, I could read," she said.
A representative of the charity fund "Zhanyrtyu," Anastasia Kolodyazhnyaya, emphasized the importance of the tactile corner, noting that feeling patterns previously accessible only to the sighted is of great significance for people with various forms of disabilities.
Aigul Mambetkazieva spoke about three aspects of accessibility that the museum strives for: physical, informational, and psychological. "We want anyone to be able to enter any floor and any part of the museum. It is important that information is accessible to everyone, and the atmosphere in our space is tolerant and humane for people with disabilities, children, and the elderly," she noted, adding that tactile exhibits allow visually impaired individuals to experience cultural emotions.
The museum director emphasized that traditionally, museums have rules prohibiting touching exhibits, which can cause fear in people with disabilities. The tactile corner was created so that visitors could freely receive information and emotions.
However, Aigul Mambetkazieva acknowledged that in terms of inclusion, the museum and the country are at the initial stages. Currently, museum staff are being trained in new approaches to communicating with different visitors. She also noted that only the first floor is accessible for people in wheelchairs, where a ramp was recently installed, while access to the second floor requires assistance from others.
"We have a freight elevator that is 50 years old, but using it to lift people is dangerous. Its reconstruction is planned for next year," added the director.
